Five leaders recognized among Florida’s most influential, reflecting a depth and breadth of leadership spanning health care, research, business and civic life while expanding access to academic medicine, accelerating innovation and fueling economic growth across Florida.

TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — John Couris, president and CEO of Florida Health Sciences Center | Tampa General Hospital (TGH), earned Florida Trend’s 2026 “Florida 500” distinction for the sixth consecutive year. He is joined by three members of the Florida Health Sciences Center Board of Directors: Board Chair Blake Casper, CEO of Caspers Company; Vice Chair and Corporate Secretary Gregory Celestan, president of Celestar, LLC and chief business officer of B&A Celestar Holdings Corporation; and Immediate Past Board and Governance Chair Drew Graham, managing partner of Ballast Point Ventures. 

Jennifer Crabtree, president of the Tampa Medical & Research District (TMRD) and senior vice president at Tampa General, was also named to this year’s list. Together, the five honorees reflect leadership spanning academic health care, research, business, innovation and civic life. 

The “Florida 500” recognizes influential executives across more than 60 business categories. Florida Trend’s editors select honorees through months of independent research and interviews, with an emphasis on professional impact, community service, philanthropy and sector leadership. Advertising plays no role in the selection.

“Our board is proud to see John recognized for a sixth consecutive year,” said Casper. “He has translated an ambitious vision into meaningful results for patients and communities across Florida. Just as important, this year’s list reflects the strength of the leaders serving alongside him, from board members who help guide our mission and growth to Jennifer’s work building the Tampa Medical & Research District. Together, that leadership is expanding access to academic medicine, accelerating innovation and creating new opportunity for our region and state.” 

Since becoming president and CEO in 2017, Couris has led Tampa General’s evolution, in partnership with the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, into a statewide academic health system that includes Tampa General Hospital and more than 30 affiliated organizations. His focus on quality, safety, innovation and growth has included collaborations with Mass General Brigham, Palantir Technologies, GE HealthCare, Shields Health Innovations and Lifepoint Health. 

Couris has positioned Tampa General as a real-world learning environment for scalable health care solutions, including artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and connected care. He also launched TGH Ventures, a corporate venture fund focused on emerging health care technologies. 

Couris has championed the creation of the Tampa Medical & Research District as a platform for regional collaboration and growth. The district is projected to generate more than $8.3 billion in annual economic impact and support nearly 58,000 Florida jobs. 

Additionally, Couris engages with state and federal leaders on health care policy. In January 2026, he was appointed by the White House to the HHS Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services, and he continues to serve on the Florida Health Care Innovation Council. 

“I’m honored to be recognized alongside leaders who are making Florida a stronger, healthier place to live and work,” said Couris. “This recognition reflects the commitment of our team members, physicians, board members and partners. Together, we are expanding access to world-class care, advancing innovation and building a medical and research district that will create opportunity for generations to come.” 

Casper, Celestan and Graham bring leadership across business, investment, national security and civic affairs to the Florida Health Sciences Center Board of Directors. Their collective experience strengthens the board’s oversight of Tampa General’s mission, strategy, quality, growth and long-term sustainability as an academic health system. 

As board chair, Casper helps guide the board’s governance and strategic stewardship. Celestan, as vice chair and corporate secretary, supports board leadership and governance while contributing experience from the defense and intelligence sectors. Graham, the immediate past board and governance chair, brings an investment and growth perspective shaped by his leadership at Ballast Point Ventures. Together, they work closely with executive leadership to guide Tampa General’s continued growth as an academic health system, including its expansion across Florida, investments in innovation and research, strategic partnerships and commitment to delivering world-class care. 

Crabtree has served as the Tampa Medical & Research District’s (TMRD) inaugural president since October 2025. Anchored by Tampa General Hospital, the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa, TMRD brings together health care, higher education, research, business and civic partners to advance medical discovery, accelerate commercialization, attract investment and talent, and drive economic growth. In her role, Crabtree is responsible for moving the district from vision to execution by establishing its operating structure, leading the TMRD Advisory Committee, aligning anchor institutions and community partners, and advancing business development and investment opportunities. 

As senior vice president at Tampa General, Crabtree also leads corporate communications across the health system. Her and her team’s work drives strategic communications and partnership initiatives across the enterprise to position Tampa General as an industry-leading research and academic-based health system and elevate the unique expertise of its senior leaders. Before assuming her current responsibilities, she served as chief of staff to the president and CEO, helping coordinate executive priorities and advance key initiatives across the organization. 

“Jennifer has been a driving force behind the Tampa Medical & Research District’s vision and the partnerships bringing it to life,” said Couris. “She connects people, ideas and institutions in ways that create lasting impact. Her recognition is a proud moment for Tampa General and for the broader district partnership.” 

Under Couris’ leadership, Tampa General has continued to earn national recognition for clinical quality, academic medicine and organizational performance. 

Tampa General has been ranked the No. 1 hospital in Tampa Bay by U.S. News & World Report for 11 consecutive years and named one of Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals for eight years. In U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-2027 Best Hospitals rankings, five Tampa General specialties were ranked among the nation’s top 50 and two additional specialties ranked among the top 10% of U.S. hospital programs. 

Florida Trend is a leading publication covering business, economic and political news in Florida. The complete list of 2026 “Florida 500” honorees is available at floridatrend500.com.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, Florida’s premier academic health system, is a 1,530-bed not-for-profit network of hospital and outpatient services spanning Florida. As the only center for Level I trauma and a comprehensive burn care center serving 23 counties, Tampa General delivers world-class care. The system’s hospitals include Tampa General Hospital, Tampa General Rehabilitation Hospital, Tampa General Behavioral Health Hospital, all in Tampa; Tampa General Brooksville, Tampa General Spring Hill and Tampa General Crystal River. Tampa General is the highest-ranked hospital in Tampa Bay in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-2027 Best Hospitals for 11 consecutive years, with five medical specialties ranking among the top 50, two additional medical specialties ranked among the top 100 best hospital programs and two specialties ranked in the top 10% in the United States. As the first hospital in Florida to open a clinical command center for real-time situational awareness, the academic health system has elevated its digital care coordination center to the next level by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and its analytics platform across inpatient and outpatient care to ensure patients receive leading-edge care as quickly and safely as possible. Tampa General’s commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by four prestigious Forbes magazine rankings — in the 2026 America’s Best Large Employers ranked as the Tampa Bay region’s #1 employer in the healthcare category for the sixth year in a row, the 2026 America’s Best Employers for Company Culture, in the top 100 for the 2026 America’s Best Employers for New Grads and the 2026 America’s Best Employers for Women.

Tampa General is the area’s safety-net hospital, caring for anyone regardless of ability to pay; in fiscal year 2024, Tampa General provided a net community benefit of approximately $289.1 million in the form of healthcare for underinsured patients, community education and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is recognized as one of the leading adult solid organ transplant centers in the nation and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General transports critically injured or ill patients from surrounding counties to receive the advanced care their conditions require. Tampa General has a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center and its 32-bed Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It is home to the Muma Children’s Hospital at TGH, the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General’s footprint includes TGH North, which consists of three hospitals and several outpatient locations in Citrus and Hernando counties; Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices; TGH Family Care Center Kennedy; TGH outpatient centers; TGH Virtual Health; and TGH Imaging outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care, powered by the Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

Media Contact: Beth Hardy, APR
Assistant Manager
Publications & Physician Communications
(727) 510-6363 (cell)
ehardy@tgh.org

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SOURCE Tampa General Hospital